Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Reindl swells role from afterthought
FAYETTEVILLE — Jake Reindl couldn’t have predicted the success he’s enjoyed pitching for the Arkansas Razorbacks this season.
“Not really,” he said. “I just barely squeaked onto the roster, actually.”
Reindl is doing a lot more than squeaking by for the No. 15 Razorbacks these days. The sophomore righthander from Shiloh Christian has become one of the team’s most effective pitchers.
Going into the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville’s series opener at Tennessee on Thursday night, Reindl is 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA. He has the fourth most innings on the
team (36) while holding opponents to 29 hits and 11 walks with 35 strikeouts in 15 games — all in relief.
“I wanted to pitch a lot more last year, but I didn’t really get the opportunity,” said Reindl, who had five innings with a 5.40 ERA in six games as a freshman. “So this year’s been really a dream come true.”
Reindl has been especially good in SEC play with a 2-0 record, one save and 0.87 ERA. He’s holding SEC hitters to a .171 batting average with 26 strikeouts and six walks in 221/3 innings.
In Arkansas’ 7-4 victory over Ole Miss on Friday, Reindl went a career-long 61/3 innings and allowed one run and six hits to help the Razorbacks rally from a 3-0 deficit.
“What really gave us a chance to win is that Jake pitched fantastic,” Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn said. “He throws strikes.
“When he’s in the game our defense is out there on their toes. They know he’s going to be around the zone and throws a lot of things that dip and dive and gets ground balls.”
Arkansas shortstop Jax Biggers said it’s easy playing defense behind Reindl.
“You never really get lulled to sleep,” Biggers said. “You’re always up and waiting for the next pitch.
“Any pitch could be a ground ball or pop up to you.
There’s never a time when you’re like, ‘OK, ball one, ball two.’ It’s, ‘All right, here we go. This one’s coming at me.’ ”
Wes Johnson, in his first season as the Arkansas pitching coach, said he could sense in preseason practice that Reindl was ready to take a step forward.
“You could see he was coming along, but you just never know when a guy is going to make a jump,” Johnson said. “His jump came after Christmas. It was like, ‘OK, this guy is going to help us.’”
Johnson said Reindl has worked hard to earn his innings.
“Jake puts in hours of preparation every single day,” Johnson said. “He studies a lot of tape of our opponents. He’s always asking questions, looking to give himself an advantage.
“He works in the bullpen on what we talk about. He goes into a game and, man, he is locked in and has a plan.”
Johnson was Mississippi State’s pitching coach the
previous two seasons.
“With every guy there’s a point where he goes, ‘Am I good enough to pitch in this league?’ ” Johnson said. “You may have the stuff, but at the end of the day do you really believe it?
“Jake thinks he can pitch in this league now. I think last year he probably battled that, as all young pitchers do. Now he’s confident he can get guys out.”
Reindl said his first appearance in an SEC game this season, when he pitched 22/3 scoreless innings in Arkansas’ 9-8 loss at Missouri on March 25, was a confidence booster.
“I went out there and wasn’t nervous or anything,” he said. “Then things just started working out for me from there.”
Arkansas outfielder Luke Bonfield said Reindl’s performance has been “phenomenal” this season.
“He’s just a guy that I’ve seen mature as the season has gone on,” Bonfield said. “His mindset on the mound is really awesome, because he almost looks like he doesn’t care what happens. Those are the best types of baseball players — the guys who have a short memory and are just like, ‘You know, whatever happens happens and I’m just going to do my best.’ “
Reindl agreed that’s his approach.
“You can’t really worry about what happened the last pitch or last at-bat,” he said. “You’ve just got to put it behind you and move on to the next guy.”
Reindl, 6-1 and 200 pounds, throws a four-seam fastball that tops out at 93 mph and a two-seamer that’s 87 to 88 mph, along with a slider and change-up.
“He’s a little deceptive with his arm action and his motion,” Van Horn said. “Pretty much everything he throws is moving. The hitters have trouble with him. They can’t quite figure him out.”
Throwing some fastballs and sliders from a sidearm delivery also helps Reindl.
“It kind of keeps people off balance,” he said.
Van Horn and Johnson said Reindl has pitched well enough to be in the SEC starting rotation, but for now they like him in the bullpen.
“I love it,” Reindl said. “I’m ready at all times.”